Local

Quinn, Rauner Quick To Trade Attacks In Race For Governor

Related Tags:

CHICAGO (CBS) – Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican challenger Bruce Rauner wasted no time in attacking each other Wednesday, just hours after winning their respective primaries.

Quinn, who easily won the Democratic primary against underfunded and lesser-known challenger Tio Hardiman on Tuesday, started his attacks even before the primary was over, buying airtime for his first TV ads as voters were still casting ballots Tuesday.

His first ad aired during the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on all major Chicago TV stations on Tuesday, as well as a handful in Champaign.

The ad takes dead aim at the billionaire businessman’s comments in December that he supported rolling back the minimum wage in Illinois, and also showing video of him telling an audience in September that he’s “adamantly, adamantly against raising the minimum wage.”

The ad ends with a graphic asking “When you see Billionaire Bruce Rauner on TV ask yourself who is the real Bruce Rauner?”

Rauner has since changed his position, saying he’d support raising the minimum wage if it were done at the national level, or if Illinois also enacted unspecified tax and business reforms to attract more small businesses.

Quinn stuck to his guns Wednesday morning as he visited a construction site where residential developer Related Midwest has begun rehabilitating the long-vacant building at 111 W. Wacker Dr.

“This is a billionaire with nine homes, nine mansions, calling for a reduction in the minimum wage – taking $2,000 out of the pocket of everyday people who are making the minimum wage,” Quinn said.

For his own part, Rauner made the rounds on the morning news shows in Chicago. In an interview on the CBS 2 Morning News, Rauner scoffed at the Quinn campaign’s decision to launch an attack ad even before the primary was officially over.

He said Quinn’s political allies in the major labor unions have been targeting him for weeks.

“They’ve run $6 million of attack ads. Pat Quinn and his allies are scared. They’re nervous. They know that he’s vulnerable and they know that we’ve got a message that’s going to resonate with the voters. They know we can beat him in November,” he said.

“Jobs are leaving, our taxes are rising, our social services safety net has been shredded, and our schools have been defunded and thousands of children are trapped in failing schools,” Rauner said. “We are about a transformation in our state government. I’m coming in as a business guy, not a politician. I’m going to drive results. I’m going to build a fantastic team of talented people who are going to turn our state around.”

Though he has repeatedly slammed “career politicians” in Springfield, and said Illinois is the worst-run state in the nation thanks to its current and past elected officials, Rauner said he’d work with Illinois lawmakers to revitalize Illinois.

“I’m going to work very closely with the Legislature. I’ll develop a personal friendship relationship with everybody down there, and we are going to push legislation to transform our state,” he said.

Quinn, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, and other Democratic statewide candidates gathered at the Billy Goat Tavern on Wednesday in a show of unity.

Rauner, GOP U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis, and other Republicans attended a unity luncheon at the Union League Club later on Wednesday.

Unlike Quinn, Rauner also had to heal wounds opened up during a heated primary campaign.

“I don’t know if we were at each other’s throats. We pointed to some differences, now it’s about making sure we come together as Republicans,” said Bill Brady.

Acknowledging his state has “come under the harsh glare of criticism” over a controversial new “religious freedom” law, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said he wants state lawmakers to pass new legislation that makes clear businesses cannot discriminate against gay and lesbian couples.

Police said the robbers used a prop in at least two holdups in the Fuller Park neighborhood. They set up a road construction barrel in the street, and when a motorist gets out of his or her car to move it aside, the robbers pounce.

Indonesian prosecutors on Tuesday sought jail sentences of 18 years for an American man and 15 years for his girlfriend if they are found guilty of murdering the woman's mother while vacationing on the resort island of Bali last year.

Video News

Think you have what it takes to win Big Brother? Come and audition at Block 37 located at 107 North Dearborn St., Chicago, IL Saturday, April 11th, 10:00am – 2:00pm. You will have the opportunity to audition and tell us why you should be picked to be a houseguest on Season 17 of BIG BROTHER. Click here to learn more.

Enter for a chance to win a trip for two adults for three nights to Riu Tequila, in Riviera Maya, Mexico! Enter online now through April 6th, 2015. Courtesy of Dos Equis, Apple Vacations, and Riu Tequila. Stay thirsty my friends.

2nd inning... Menards home run contest! Each day one person from entries filled out at Menards stores wins a $25 gift card and has a chance to win a $1000 gift card if White Sox hit back to back Home Runs in the second inning. Menards where you will save big money on all your home improvement needs!